Role Summary
The Preconstruction Manager leads the planning, development, and strategic execution of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing preconstruction activities for complex construction projects. Acting as a bridge between pursuit, design, estimating, and operations, this role provides technical, commercial, and leadership expertise to develop accurate project budgets, identify risks and opportunities, optimize constructability, and position projects for successful execution. The Preconstruction Manager works closely with clients, consultants, trade partners, and internal teams to deliver cost-effective and innovative solutions from concept through project award and handover.
Why This Role Matters to Modern Niagara
The Preconstruction Manager plays a pivotal role in securing profitable work and setting projects up for operational success. By providing strategic leadership during the early phases of a project, this role helps Modern Niagara mitigate risk, strengthen client relationships, develop competitive project solutions, and ensure seamless transitions to project delivery teams. Their expertise directly influences project outcomes, customer satisfaction, and business growth.
Key Impact / Purpose
- Drive Successful Project Pursuits and Winning Strategies
- Reduce Risk and Improve Project Certainty
- Enable Efficient and Profitable Project Delivery
Duties and Responsibilities:
Preconstruction & Project Development
- Lead MEP preconstruction activities from project pursuit and conceptual design through tender, contract award and transition to Operations.
- Establish the overall MEP preconstruction strategy in alignment with project objectives, client requirements, schedule, budget and procurement strategy.
- Participate in schematic design, design development and construction document phases, providing MEP technical and constructability input.
- Review project drawings, specifications, narratives and other contract documents to identify scope requirements, inconsistencies, omissions, coordination issues and potential risks.
- Establish project assumptions, exclusions, clarifications and scope requirements throughout the preconstruction process.
- Develop and maintain comprehensive MEP scopes of work for mechanical, electrical and associated building systems.
- Identify opportunities to improve project cost, schedule, quality, constructability and lifecycle performance.
- Lead or participate in design-assist activities and provide technical recommendations to owners, consultants and construction partners.
- Establish clear preconstruction milestones and deliverables to support project procurement and construction schedules.
Estimating & Cost Management
- Lead or oversee the preparation of conceptual, budget, design development, tender, negotiated and design-build estimates for MEP scopes.
- Review detailed quantity takeoffs, labour requirements, material costs, equipment costs, subcontractor pricing, and project-specific requirements.
- Collaborate with Estimating teams to validate pricing assumptions, labour productivity, material pricing and market conditions.
- Collaborate with Estimating team to solicit, evaluate, and negotiate pricing from subcontractors, suppliers and trade partners.
- Analyze quotations and identify scope gaps, exclusions, qualifications, inconsistencies, and commercial risks.
- Oversee the development of accurate project budgets and cost plans at various stages of design.
- Lead value engineering exercises and develop alternative solutions that provide cost, schedule, or performance benefits.
- Provide leadership with recommendations regarding project pricing, risk, contingency and commercial strategy.
MEP Technical & Constructability Leadership
- Provide technical leadership across mechanical and electrical building systems, including HVAC, plumbing, piping, sheet metal, hydronics, fire protection, electrical distribution, lighting, controls/BAS and other relevant building systems.
- Review designs for constructability, coordination, maintainability and compliance with applicable codes, standards and client requirements.
- Participate with MEP design reviews and constructability reviews with consultants, architects, engineers and trade partners and identify any design deficiencies.
- Collaborate with Internal Engineering team in detail Engineering design reviews, including items such as, load calculations, design temperatures, plant load calculations, acoustics requirements etc.
- Evaluate alternative systems, materials, equipment, and installation methodologies.
- Review and provide input on Construction Schedules, sequencing challenges and installation constraints before construction begins.
- Provide recommendations regarding prefabrication, modularization, off-site fabrication, and construction methodologies where appropriate.
Risk, Scope & Commercial Management
- Identify and proactively manage MEP-specific project risks during pursuit and preconstruction.
- Conduct scope-gap analysis and establish clear responsibility matrices between the MEP contractor, GC, consultants, and other trades.
- Review contract documents in cooperation with Finance and Legal teams and identify commercial, technical and contractual risks and work.
- Develop risk registers and mitigation strategies for major projects.
- Identify opportunities and risks associated with design development, incomplete documentation and evolving client requirements.
- Ensure assumptions, clarifications and exclusions are clearly documented before project award.
- Support development of project cash flow, procurement and cost forecasts where required.
Client, Consultant & Stakeholder Management
- Develop strong working relationships with owners, developers, general contractors, architects, engineers and consultants.
- Act as a MEP representative during client and consultant meetings.
- Present estimates, budgets, value engineering proposals, design solutions and procurement recommendations.
- Provide clients with practical advice regarding cost, schedule, constructability, procurement and market conditions.
- Participate in project pursuits, interviews, presentations and negotiations.
- Develop a strong understanding of client objectives and translate them into MEP solutions.
- Maintain a professional and solutions-oriented approach when resolving design, commercial and technical issues.
Transition to Operations
- Lead the structured handover of awarded projects from Preconstruction to Operations.
- Ensure Operations receives complete and accurate information regarding scope, pricing, assumptions, design status, procurement, risks, schedule and commitments.
- Participate in project launch and turnover meetings.
- Identify unresolved design, scope, procurement and commercial issues before handover.
- Support Operations during the early stages of the project to ensure continuity of preconstruction decisions.
Must-haves
- Post-secondary education in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Construction Management, Building Services Engineering or a related discipline; equivalent industry experience will be considered.
- Minimum 7 years of progressive experience within MEP construction, mechanical/electrical contracting, estimating, project management or preconstruction.
- Demonstrated experience with commercial, institutional and/or industrial ICI construction.
- Strong understanding of mechanical and/or electrical building systems and construction methodologies.
- Demonstrated experience developing or reviewing MEP estimates, budgets and tender packages.
- Experience with design-build, negotiated, construction management and/or stipulated-price project delivery models.
- Experience leading constructability reviews, value engineering and design coordination.
- Strong understanding of construction drawings, specifications, contract documents and applicable codes and standards.
- Experience working with BIM/VDC and construction technology is an asset.
- Experience with major projects, healthcare, commercial, institutional, industrial or high-rise construction is an asset.
- Professional designation such as P.Eng., CET, PMP or Gold Seal is considered an asset.
Technical Skills
- Strong knowledge of MEP construction and building systems.
- Advanced ability to interpret drawings, specifications and contract documents.
- Strong estimating and cost-management capabilities.
- Understanding of labour productivity, material pricing and MEP construction costs.
- Strong knowledge of construction sequencing and installation methodologies.
- Familiarity with BIM/VDC coordination and 3D modelling.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.
- Experience with estimating and construction platforms such as Accubid, Trimble, Bluebeam, Procore, Autodesk Construction Cloud or equivalent systems is an asset.
This is a replacement position, and the salary range is between $121,000 - $143,000
Modern Niagara offers a competitive total compensation package including:
- Performance based bonus opportunities.
- Defined Contribution Pension Plan with a generous employer contribution.
- Flexible Health and Dental benefits with tiered options to meet the needs of you and your family.
- An annual health spending account to support your overall wellness.
- 24/7 confidential support through our Employee and Family Assistance Program with access to comprehensive resources and professional services.
- A competitive vacation package with additional vacation granted throughout your tenure with the organization.
- Employer Paid Parental Leave Top Up.
- Annual Community Day dedicated to volunteering and giving back to the communities where we live and work.
- Corporate Discounts through various vendors across Canada for programs such as fitness, mobile phones, travel, home and auto insurance and many others.
- Here at Modern Niagara, because we know our people are the best in the industry, we pride ourselves on providing a total compensation package that rewards employees for their hard work and supports employees and their families in their overall wellbeing.
Pay: From $121,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Dental care
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Mileage reimbursement
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
- Store discount
- Vision care
- Wellness program
Work Location: In person
